| Looks like becoming another The Fast and the Furious | | | | has been a great help for racers, as they use the |
| wannabe would now entail more than just guts and | | | | Internet and text messaging to quickly call races and |
| skill. | | | | locations, making it difficult for police to stake out |
| In Canada, where trucker David Virgoe met his tragic | | | | races. |
| death on Highway 400 after an accident allegedly | | | | "What I would say to anybody who is engaging in the |
| caused by street racing, officials are putting down their | | | | illegal act of street racing is we don't need to wait until |
| foot and are now intent on getting tough on street | | | | that car hits the road fully loaded. |
| racers. | | | | "The damage that these vehicles can cause can |
| Likening speed shops that make street racers to | | | | sometimes be catastrophic," Bryant said in his |
| bomb factories or illegal drug labs, Attorney General | | | | message at Queen’s Park, referring to Virgoe's |
| Michael Bryant warns "juiced-up" cars could be seized | | | | death. |
| and destroyed before even hitting the road. | | | | While Bryant declined to discuss details of Virgoe's |
| "Just on the balance of probabilities if we can establish | | | | death or the three men charged in it, he noted "Ontario |
| that a car is being used for the unlawful purpose of | | | | Crown prosecutors are using the brand new street |
| street racing, we will seize it and you will never see it | | | | racing crime provisions under the Criminal Code for |
| again. "We will crush your car, we will crush the parts." | | | | these offences. |
| York Regional Police Chief Armand La Barge | | | | "We have in Ontario generally the ability to seize street |
| welcomed Bryant's get-tough words saying that since | | | | racing cars," he said. |
| 1999, 39 people have been killed in the Greater | | | | About Street Racing Street racing is a form of |
| Toronto Area because of illegal road racing. "We | | | | unsanctioned and illegal auto racing which takes place |
| welcome any proposed new legislation to make it | | | | on public roads. Street racing can either be |
| easier to do that (seize vehicles in road racing). That's | | | | spontaneous or well-planned and coordinated. |
| the type of strong message that needs to go out," he | | | | Spontaneous races usually occur at intersections |
| said. | | | | where two cars stop at a red light before they begin |
| La Barge added that he would like to see the courts | | | | racing. Well coordinated races, in comparison, are |
| send a tougher message to people charged with | | | | chosen before the race night and often have a people |
| racing. According to La Barge, his officers have laid | | | | communicating via 2-way radio/citizens' band radio and |
| some 550 racing charges over the past six weeks, | | | | using police scanners and GPS units to mark locations |
| but that many drivers expect to be treated lightly by | | | | of local police hot spots. |
| the courts. Police try to educate road racers, | | | | Because vehicles used in street racing competitions |
| sometimes it turns out to be an exercise in futility, he | | | | more often than not lack professional racing safety |
| said. | | | | equipment such as roll cages and fuel cells and drivers |
| Sgt. David Mitchell, a York Region traffic officer, said | | | | seldom wear firesuits and are not trained in |
| road racers range from teenagers driving their parents' | | | | high-performance driving, injuries and fatalities are |
| cars to adults who have spent hundreds of thousands | | | | common results from accidents. Illegal street racers |
| of dollars modifying cars. Some have been so | | | | also put ordinary drivers at risk because they race on |
| overhauled they would be unfit for a motor speedway, | | | | public roads rather than closed-course, purpose-built |
| he said. | | | | facilities. More recently the rise of chop shops which |
| Charged drivers, said Mitchell, often choose to take | | | | sell anything and everything from engine parts to |
| their chances with the court because they believe "not | | | | Honda distributor cap has been associated with street |
| much is going to happen there." Apparently technology | | | | racing. |